


This Girl Ain't Going Anywhere

by searchingwardrobes



Series: Fandom Birthday Playlist [20]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Enchanted Forest, F/M, Lieutenant Killian Jones/Princess Emma Swan, Pirate Captain Liam Jones, Pre-Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, brothers jones, frozen jewel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2020-03-07 02:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18863686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/searchingwardrobes/pseuds/searchingwardrobes
Summary: The Brothers Jones have built a reputation as the most feared pirates in all the realms. When they hear of the bounty on the heads of two princesses - The Princess of Fire and the Princess of Ice – they don’t hesitate to set sail on the Jolly Roger to hunt them down. But have the Brothers Jones finally met their match?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Katie_Dub](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katie_Dub/gifts).



> This is my first fandom birthday playlist fic to be a two-parter, but this one just ran away from me and became bigger than I intended! Inspired by the song by Lauren Daigle.

_ I've been a winding road, oh, I know  _ _ y _ _ ou know _ _.  _ _ Sometimes a stranger in my home _ _.  _ _ Keep going back and forth through the open door _ _.  _ _ I'm still learning to be still _ _. This girl  _ _ ain’t _ _  going anywhere. I can promise you this, now I know for sure. This girl ain’t going anywhere.  _

Captain Liam Jones stood at the bow of the Jolly  Roger,  his hands clasped behind his back. His first mate, Killian Jones, approached him with a confident stride. He took his place beside his brother, his own shoulders back, his own hands clasped behind his back. The younger Jones fit the look of a pirate with his long leather coat, his crimson vest, the kohl around his eyes, the charms resting against his chest, and the piercings in his earlobes. Liam Jones, on the other hand, was dressed more simply. Still all in black, but his pants weren’t the tight leather of his brother’s and his shirt was of a simple muslin. A rapier left over from his naval days hung at his hip rather than the cutlass his brother carried. 

“The crew have their orders, Captain,” Killian told his brother formally, still gazing out at sea, “we should arrive at the  Misthaven  port in a fortnight.” 

“We aren’t navy anymore, little brother, there’s no need to be so formal.”

“Younger brother,” Killian correct ed  automatically, turning to study his brother’s profile, “but this particular venture brings those days back to the forefront, do they not?”

The piercing look Liam gave him communicated more than words that he didn’t wish to discuss it further. The two brothers‘ conversation was cut short anyway as a nervous, portly man rushed towards them, twisting his red knit cap in his hands. 

“Beg your pardon, Cap’n,” Mr. Smee stuttered, “but the rest of the crew asked me to ask you . . . “

Liam sighed and rolled his eyes, “Spit it out, bos’un.”

“Doesn’t this job seem a little . . . dangerous?”

“Dangerous?” Killian snapped, striding into the man’s personal space. “Are we or are we not pirates, Smee? Danger is what we live for.”

“Um . . . yes, sir, it’s just . . . witch’s? One that can wield fire? I mean, a ship is made of wood -”

“The Jolly Roger is made of  _ enchanted  _ wood,” Liam snapped in defense of his ship.

“But is she fireproof, C-Cap'n?” Smee asked hesitantly. His cap was now damp in his sweaty palms. 

“The Princess of Fire and the Princess of Ice is what they call them,” Liam replied, striding away from Smee as if dismissing his concerns completely, “not  _ witches _ .”

Smee looked nervously at the younger Jones, not sure how this was supposed to ease the crew’s fears. 

“Remind the crew of the bounty being offered on these two women by half the kingdoms in the realm,” Killian told him, “and if they question their captain’s orders again, walking the bloody plank will be their lot.”

Smee swallowed and replaced his cap on his head with shaking hands. “Y-yes sir.” He hurried away from the Brothers Jones. 

Killian watched as Liam’s shoulders sagged and his chin dropped to his chest. Princess Emma of  Misthaven  had fled her kingdom after supposedly injuring her younger brother, Prince Leopold. Princess Elsa of Ar endelle  had likewise been supposedly banished after her ice magic erupted dangerously at her sister’s engagement ball. While  Misthaven  and Ar endelle  wanted their crown princesses unharmed, naturally, the rest of the realm was in a panic at what magic-wielding royals could do. In short, they were on the brink of war. 

“Do you really think they’re together?” Killian asked softly. 

“Aye, I do,” Liam said, his jaw clenching and his eyes flashing, “they were together often in their youth. Like sisters, everyone said.”

“Yes,” Killian said softly, leaving the obvious unsaid, “like sisters.”

********************************************************

The port of  Misthaven  was normally a difficult one for pirates. Queen Snow and King David were passionate about the safety of their people and brought swift judgment on anyone who threatened it. Yet with Camelot,  Agrabah ,  Glowerhaven , and several other kingdoms mounting possible military might against them,  Misthaven  was too busy to think about pirates. Liam and Killian were free to scour the taverns and markets for any gossip that might lead them to Princess Emma’s hiding place while their crew restocked the ship. Yet their search for information led them to one dead end after another, and they ended the day back on the Jolly Roger unsure of what their next move should be. Blessedly, the answers they sought came to them. 

“Permission to board!” a hooded figure called out. It was clearly a woman, and a young one at that, judging by her high, sweet voice. 

“Maybe you should let me talk,” said a taller, broader figure at her side, also cloaked.

“I was taught to negotiate in the palace,” the first one hissed, “so let me do this.”

Killian and Liam exchanged knowing smiles. 

“Permission granted,” Liam told her, then waited until she had stepped off the gangplank to add, “Princess Anna.”

The young woman gasped at first, then backpedaled. “What do you mean? I’m no princess, my name is . . . Joan.”

“Mhm,” Liam chuckled, then nodded at his brother with an unspoken order. 

Killian sauntered to the young woman, ignoring the way her male companion stepped slightly in front of her protectively. He reached over the man’s shoulder and pushed the hood off Anna’s head. 

“I see you’re still wearing your hair in braids,” Killian smirked, “just like when you were twelve and peeking around the columns while your sister danced with the naval officers.”

Anna’s eyes grew wide as she glanced between the two pirates. “ So  the rumors are true! You used to be in King George’s navy, and this ship used to be The Jewel of the Realm!”

“Aye,” Liam told her, “so what can we do for you, princess?”

Anna squared her shoulders. “We heard you asking around about Princess Emma’s whereabouts, and like you, I believe she and my sister are together. I also think I know where to look first. We know the bounty the other kingdoms are offering for their capture. We offer double to bring them home safely instead.” She pulled out a purple velvet pouch and tossed it to the ships’s deck. Gold coins spilled out. “That’s an advance – it's only ten percent of what you’ll get if you complete the mission.”

Killian knew what his brother would say, even as Liam pretended to think, weighing the coins in his hand. “I suppose twice the gold would be worth it,” the elder Jones finally answered, “but let me be clear, princess, this is a pirate ship. We take orders from no crown.”

“I understand,” Anna said with a tilt of her chin, “but I must demand that we go with you. In order to ensure my sister’s safety. Otherwise, we won’t share the information we have.”

“Demand?” Liam bit out, striding into Anna’s personal space. 

Killian was impressed that the girl didn’t back down. Her companion – Killian wondered if it was her fiancé - lifted a placating hand.

“We will submit to your authority on this ship, Captain Jones,” the young man said with surprising diplomacy, “but we might need to set sail sooner rather than later?”

“Why is that?” Liam snapped.

“Because of the Camelot knights who recognized us in the market.” The man pushed his own hood back, and sure enough, it was the commoner Kristoff who had won the young princess’s heart. 

Liam’s eyes widened, and he quickly turned to bark commands at his crew. Killian strode forward and jabbed a finger in the faces of their new passengers. “Get below deck and out of sight until we say otherwise,” he bit out. Damn royalty. 

_ *********************************************** _

Killian was at the helm, and they were heading for  Avra  – one of the lonely islands. Anna had told them that her sister had written of the place in her journal. A sorcerer was rumored to live there who could “cure ”  those cursed with magic. 

The stars twinkled overhead, and the rest of the crew as well as their guests had already turned in for the night. Killian was in no rush to lay on the floor of the captain’s quarters. It wasn’t that he minded giving up his own quarters for Princess Anna. He had endured worse sleeping arrangements  duiring  his days of servitude. It was the memories he knew would plague him as he waited for sleep to come. He wondered how long Liam would pore over the charts and maps littering his desk to avoid the exact same thing. 

The quiet of the night was shattered by shouts. Killian’s eyes widened as members of the crew dragged a boy up to the top deck. The lad kicked and twisted in attempts to get free before being thrust at Killian’s feet. 

“We found a stowaway,” Smee explained.

Killian frowned down at the boy. “I can see that. Why did you not take him to my brother?”

“We tried, he . . .  uh .  . wasn’t in the mood to be disturbed.”

Killian sighed and ran a hand down his face. “What’s your name, boy?”

“Murderer,” the child screamed, lunging for the pirate. 

Killian just smiled in amusement as the crew held the boy back. “You have spunk, lad.” He leaned closer. “You’re right that I’m a murderer. I am a pirate, after all.”

“I won’t let you kill my mother!”

Killian’s jaw dropped. He scrutinized the boy’s face. “Why do you think I’m plotting to kill your mother?”

“Like you said, you’re a pirate. You’re hunting my mother for the bounty on her head.”

“And your mother would be . . . “

“Princess Emma.”

Killian blinked and shook his head. “The princess is unwed, she has no son.”

“A woman can have a child without a husband. Even I know that, and I’m only eight.”

Killian would have chuckled if the news hadn’t thrown him. He regarded the child quizzically as he rubbed his chin. He waved off the rest of the crew, and they headed silently below deck. 

“When did you sneak aboard the Jolly?”

“As soon as you and the captain left. I’m small, so no one noticed.”

“Well then,” Killian told him with a smile and a slap to the shoulder, “you missed the big news. Princess Anna of Arendelle offered us twice the reward to help bring her sister and your mother home safely.”

Killian had to bite his cheek to hold back another chuckle as the boy regarded him suspiciously. 

“Seriously?”

Killian arched a brow and pointed over the child’s shoulder. “Princess Anna is in my quarters. Do you wish to wake her and question her?”

“Um . . . no. I guess you wouldn’t make that up. 

“What’s your name?”

“Henry.”

“And what exactly was your plan when you stowed away on a pirate ship, Henry? Fight us all for your mother?”

“If I had to,” Henry declared, sticking out his chest. Then he quickly deflated. “It’s my fault she ran away. She was afraid she’d hurt me.”

“Like she hurt Prince Leopold?”

Henry shook his head. “She didn’t hurt Prince Leo . . . she hurt me – but it was an accident!” He hurriedly defended his mother, his love for her clear in his tone.

Killian paced the deck, trying to reconcile things in his mind. “But I don’t understand. Prince Leo is still a boy himself, and yet you -”

“I’ve been hidden away,” the young prince explained. “and the math shouldn’t be  _ that  _ hard. You’re a sailor, aren’t you?”

Killian couldn’t hold back the chuckle this time. “Sarcastic like your mother, I see.”

Henry tilted his head. “You knew her?”

Killian waved a hand in front of him. “Only in the way I knew any royalty. From balls when I was a naval officer, diplomatic functions, that sort of thing. Your mother’s sharp wit was  legendary .”

“Well, if you were in the navy, do the math. My Uncle Leo is 13, mom was 12 when he was born. Five years later, she had me.”

“At 17 . . .  “ Killian’s  voice trailed off. He shook his head to clear it. “And your father?”

“His name was Baelfire. That’s all I know. And that he’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“Died.” Henry shrugged as if it were just a fact. Clearly he never knew the man.

“And why have they hidden you away?”

“Like you said, Mother isn’t married. She never was.” The boy arched a brow at Killian’s 

surprised expression. “What? Adults always assume that kids aren’t listening.”

Killian laughed and dropped a hand to the boy’s shoulder and squeezed affectionately. “I like 

you already Henry. I believe a pirate’s life will suit you just fine.”

************************************************

Prince Henry was not at all like Killian would imagine a sheltered royal to be. He was full of awe and excitement about being at sea, not even frightened when the waves got rough. He also wasn’t afraid of hard work or learning things outside of his comfort zone, eagerly throwing himself amongst the crew and asking how he could help. He seemed drawn to Killian especially, asking him to teach him sailor’s knots and how to handle a sword like a pirate. He had obviously received training already on the latter, but his style of fighting was too refined and fair in Killian’s opinion. 

“Your enemy will not follow the rules of engagement,” Killian told the boy, “so you must be willing to fight dirty in return.”

“How do you think his mother will feel about that?” Anna asked, arms crossed. 

“She’ll thank me if it saves his life,” Killian snapped. 

Figuring out where the boy would bunk was a problem. He and Liam were hesitant to let him sleep with the rest of the men in the crew’s quarters, even with Kristoff there, and it certainly wasn’t appropriate for him to stay with Killian and Liam. They finally decided it was best for Henry to bunk with Anna in the first mate’s cabin, cramped though it was. She was like an aunt to the boy, after all. Though if Killian had known how inquisitive the young prince was, he might have been a bit more careful about the belongings in his quarters.

“What is this?” Henry screamed one bright morning  as he come above deck .

Killian turned from where he was checking the ship’s heading to find the boy trembling all over, red in the face and waving a piece of parchment. When Henry got  close  enough, he shoved it at Killian’s chest. The charcoal drawing had the air rushing from Killian’s lungs. 

“That’s my mother!” Henry shouted, fisting both hands. 

“I - I can explain -”

“Explain how you lied to me? I asked if you knew her!”

Killian sighed as he rubbed his forehead wearily. He was caught in a half truth, and there was no sense digging himself deeper with more lies. He looked down at the drawing, his thumb rubbing over the note sketched there in Emma’s handwriting. 

“My dear lieutenant, when you sail away tomorrow, know that you take my heart with you. Love, Your Emma.”

He couldn’t help smiling remembering the sweet innocence of their love. How naïve they had been to think that fate would smile on them! Although, maybe it would have, if Killian had remained an honorable  lieutenant  and not turned pirate. 

“Your mother loved me once,” he told Henry softly. “We were still children, really. She was but sixteen, and I was eighteen. We met at a ball. Your mother was irritated with her boring suitors, and basically threatened me to ask her to dance. To put her out of her misery, she said.’

Killian chuckled at the memory, settling on a crate, his eyes still fixed on the picture. Henry’s fists loosened, and his shoulders lowered. Killian kept talking, hoping the boy could hear the admiration in his voice. 

“That one dance turned into many more. It was scandalous really for a mere naval lieutenant to monopolize the princess’s dance card. We shared our first kiss on a balcony hidden away from the rest of the crowd as fireworks burst in the air. It was your mother’s sixteenth birthday, you see.”

Henry deflated more, and sat on the crate next to Killian. “When did she give you the picture?”

“I drew it,” Killian told him. “King George was  t here for several weeks in negotiations to prevent war with  Misthaven . Liam and I were part of his naval escort. Your mother and I spent much of that time together. We were having a picnic on the beach when I drew that. She gave it back to me before I left with that note scrawled on it.”

“But I don’t understand,” Henry muttered, “she had me a year later. You’re not -”

“No,  Henry ,” Killian told him with a clap to his shoulder, “though I would be honored to be your father. You are a bright lad. But my relationship with your mother was completely innocent.”

“But if she loved you so much, why was she ever with my father?”

Killian rubbed at his jaw, knowing he had to tread lightly. “That is a question for your mother, I’m afraid. I wrote to her after I left, but then the war started, and -”

“You turned pirate,” a trembling voice behind them finished.

Killian turned around, shocked to see Princess Anna standing there, her face pale. Her gaze cut from Killian and up to Liam, who had come down from the upper deck at some point as Killian had told his tale. 

“Picnics on the beach, dancing at Emma’s ball with navy men,” Anna said in a trembling voice, “I may have only been twelve, but I remember it all now. You were the brothers who wooed my sister and her best friend. The ones who left them heartbroken.”

Liam’s head hung in shame. “I can’t speak for my brother, but I tried very hard not to fall in love with Elsa. I simply couldn’t help myself. It was so easy to get swept away and pretend that there could be a future for us.  I was puffed up with pride, having just been made captain. The youngest to receive that honor at just twenty-two. But I should have known better, my brother and I both. They were crown princesses, destined for the throne.”

“But Grandpa was just a shepherd!” Henry argued. 

Killian chuckled. “That’s what your mother said.”

“But he wasn’t a pirate,” Anna bit out, “do you know the nights my sister cried herself to sleep when word came that you had  mutinied ? Even then she clung to hope that you weren’t a cad, that you had your reasons, but then she never heard from you again!”

“How could I?” Liam shouted back. “If a naval captain had little chance, a pirate captain had none at all!”

“She gave you everything!” Anna shouted, shoving him in the chest.

Killian’s jaw dropped. Every member of the crew had frozen in place, the princess’s words like a thunderclap. Liam’s jaw clenched as he gazed down at Anna in silence. 

“Do not speak to the captain of this ship in such a tone,” he seethed, “I told  you, we  bow to no crown.”

Anna lifted her hand, but before she could slap him, Liam grabbed her by the wrist. Kristoff shouted in anger, and Killian grabbed him by the shoulders before he could lunge at Liam and make things worse.

“I would think long and hard before you try and strike me again,” Liam warned. Then he barked at the crew to get back to work and marched below deck. 

Anna crumpled to her knees, and Kristoff was immediately at her side. Killian went to follow his brother, but Anna reached up and grasped his arm to stop him. 

“I didn’t mean to lose it like that,” she apologized. “I was so young .  I didn’t understand why Elsa fell apart the way she did. It was only reading her journal after she was banished by my parents that I fully understood.” Anna released a slow breath. “She loved him. So much.”

All Killian could do was nod before going below deck. He felt his own anger well up as he shoved the door to his brother’s quarters open. 

“And to think the entire time I was with Emma, I used your virtue as a plumb line,” Killian snapped. “Is what Anna sa id  true?”

Liam collapsed onto his bunk, his head dropping to his hands. “God help me, it is. We had one night together before I left, and I like a fool promised her the world.”

Killian was at a loss as to what to say. There was a knock at the door, and Liam surged to his feet. 

“Come in.”

The door swung open, and Anna and Henry stood there, faces hesitant. 

“We were talking,” Anna said, her fingers twisting, “and we realized something.”

Henry jumped in. “You were never going after the bounty, were you? You were trying to protect them all along.”

The lines creasing Liam’s forehead relaxed. “Aye, lad, we were hoping to find them before anyone else did. We just couldn’t let our crew know that.”

Anna and Henry exchanged glances. 

“Okay, then,” Anna said with a nod. “Good to know we’re all on the same page.”

The concerned sister and the worried son turned to go. Liam called out after them. 

“We are still getting that reward ,  right?” he asked with a roguish grin. “I mean if a pirate can’t hope to marry a crown princess, he’s  gotta  make a living somehow.”

Anna quirked a smile in return. “We’ll wait and see how it all pans out. After all, I’m marrying an ice harvester.”

Henry walked over and gently placed the parchment he had found in Killian’s hand. “You dropped this.”

Killian looked down into the smiling face of Emma at sixteen, eyes bright and without a care in the world. Had she changed as much as he had? Had her innocence taken as severe a beating? He feared it was so, especially considering the strange circumstances of Henry’s birth. 

“Thank you, lad. I’ll take better care of it from now on.”

“Good,” Henry told him simply, and he looked and sounded so much like his mother in that moment, that Killian’s heart ached. 

************************************************

A thick mist surrounded the Jolly as they approached  Avra , and the eerie quiet had the entire crew on edge. 

They kept their heading, hoping there were no rocks or reefs. Killian looked through his spy glass, but the mist had turned to a thick fog. 

“We may need to lay anchor until this fog lifts,” he told his brother as he pocketed the tool. 

“I don’t think it’s the weather,” Liam told him quietly, “there’s something unnatural going on here.”

The words were barely out of Liam’s mouth when a haunting melody split the air. The br o thers exchanged alarmed glances. 

“Mermaids,” they both muttered.

“Bloody hell,” Killian bit out.

Liam began shouting orders to the crew to arm themselves and get to the railing. The melody ceased abruptly, and every person on board held their breath in the sudden silence.

It didn’t last long. Suddenly the ship was being hit from all sides, causing the Jolly to pitch from one side to the other. The mermaids let out piercing cries that split the air and frayed the nerves. The men shot their pistols, threw harpoons, or attempted to capture mermaids in weighted nets, but the aquatic army eluded all of them. 

Anna rushed to the railing, squinting her eyes to try and see into the gloom. Kristoff shouted for her to get back as he pulled up yet another empty net. Anna ignored him and leaned forward, shouting her sister’s name. Henry joined her, shouting, “Mom! Mom, are you out there?”

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” Killian shouted at them, tossing aside his pistol and reaching for the boy. The ship rocked, and Killian grasped at empty air as Henry was flung overboard. 

“Henry!” he screamed, hurriedly shedding his leather duster.

Before Killian could jump in after him, a head of bright red hair broke the surface of the water, and in the  mermaid’s  arms was Henry. Just as quickly as it had begun, the mermaids’ assault ended. The mist cleared, the sun shone, and an army of glittering tails swam away from the pirate ship. 

The red-headed mermaid took the rope that had been tossed to her and tied it around Henry’s waist. Killian hoisted him up, and thankfully the boy only had to cough a few times in order to fully recover. Thanks to his rescuer, he had only been under for a moment or two. Killian grasped him by both shoulders, his heart still pounding.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Henry gasped, “thanks to her.”

The boy pointed, and Killian turned to see the mermaid with red hair standing on the deck of the Jolly Roger. At least he had thought she was a mermaid -

“Queen Ariel!” Anna cried, rushing to embrace her. 

Realizing who she was, the crew of the Jolly sank immediately to one knee, head bowed and caps off except for he and Liam. So much for bowing to no crown. He knew his crew were still shaken by the mermaid attack, but did they have no self-respect? Liam seemed to agree, walking amongst his crew and smacking them on the head to get the bloody hell of f  their knees.

“My men,” Liam explained, striding with confidence to the mermaid queen, “will not bow to a creature who sends many a sailor to a watery grave.”

When the mermaid spoke, it was with a surprisingly sweet and innocent voice. “I don’t send anyone to a  _ watery grave _ .” She used air quotes around the later. “Pirates are so melodramatic. The attack on your ship was merely for defense. When I realized who was on board, I immediately called it off.”

Anna gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “Defense? Are you defending my sister and Emma? Do you know where they are?” She bounced up and down on her heels, shaking Ariel by the arm a little. 

Whether it was because she was another royal or because it was Ariel’s personality, the queen merely smiled at the other woman. “Yes.”

Anna threw her arms around the mermaid, but Liam and Killian exchanged wary looks. Kristoff evidently shared their concerns. 

“Um, I don’t mean to put a damper on things,” Anna’s fiancé spoke up, “but didn’t your husband King Eric put a bounty out on the two princesses just like every other kingdom?”

Ariel frowned. “My husband felt he had no choice. King George and King Arthur are always eager for war. Siding against them was dangerous, but my husband sent me out to try and get to Emma and Elsa before anyone could collect the bounty. As many people know, Queen Snow is a good friend of mine.”

“And the attack on our ship?” Killian demanded.  “You almost killed Prince Henry!”

“You’re flying a pirate flag!” Ariel snapped. “I thought you were here to capture the pincesses for the bounty on their heads.”

“I think we can all agree we’re on the same team,” Anna spoke up diplomatically.

“Yeah,” Henry cried out, scrambling to his feet, “can you take me to my mom now?”

Ariel gently cupped Henry’s face. “Just land on  Avra  and follow the  middlemist  roses. It will take you straight to Merlin’s abode. As for me, I must search the seas for other bounty hunters.”

She kissed Henry gently on the forehead, and before anyone could even thank her, she dived back into the waves. 

************************************************

Anna, Henry, and Killian picked their way through a barely noticeable path. When Ariel had said “follow the  middlemist  roses,” she had failed to mention how they would be almost hidden amongst  braken  and thorns. It was clear that only those who knew where to look could find the path to this sorcerer's domicile. 

Liam and Kristoff had stayed behind on the Jolly Roger. For one, they didn’t want to overwhelm the princesses or give them cause for suspicion. For another, they didn’t completely trust the crew not to turn tail and run. No honor among thieves and all of that. 

Killian could have stayed behind just as easily, of course, but he knew why his brother had given him the order to take the royals ashore. His brother could face a naval fleet, a rival pirate crew, or even a kraken. But the woman he had jilted? Liam Jones was terrified, and Killian couldn’t say that he blamed him. 

On the other hand, Emma had been the one to cut ties with Killian. Going so far as to have a child with someone else. Killian whacked at a vine with more force than necessary. The thought hurt. Yet the alternative, that Emma had come to be with  child  against her will, made him physically ill and blind with rage. 

“There it is,” Anna whispered, falling to her knees and grasping both Killian and Henry by the elbow. Killian cursed at his distracted mind. To be out-tracked by a naïve princess!  He looked where she pointed and saw a simple yet homey cabin built into a cave. Its earthen walls were covered in moss and more middlemist roses. 

“What are we waiting for?” Henry asked impatiently. “I want to see my mom.”

Killian laid a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “But remember, my boy, the last time she saw you she accidentally hurt you with her magic. You don’t want to startle her.”

“He’s right, Henry,” Anna agreed, “Elsa hurt me too. I don’t blame her, and I’m not afraid of her, but I think . . . I think she’s afraid of herself, and that fear may rise up again when she sees me.”

“I understand,” Henry mumbled sadly.

“Who’s there?”  a voice called out to their right just as the branches of a tree above their heads burst into flames. “That was a warning.”

“Mom!” Henry shouted, and nothing Anna and Killian did or said could keep him from jumping up from the bushes and running towards his mother’s voice. 

“Henry?” Emma’s voice at first was full of love, tenderness, and a touch of pleasant surprise. 

Killian eased forward so he could see more clearly between the branches. He felt the blood rush from his head when he saw her, golden hair tumbling loose down her back and clad in a filmy white dress. It made her look ethereal, but for the haunted look in her eyes. 

As Henry ran towards her, the expression on her face changed to one of panic. “Stay back!” she warned him.

The boy slowed down, but he didn’t stop moving towards her. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“You should be,” she told him brokenly, tears beginning to roll down her face. “I love you so much, Henry, that’s why I had to go. To keep you safe.”

Henry took a few more steps forward, and the panic on her face increased. “Elsa!” she screamed. 

“You’re afraid of hurting me, that’s the problem,” Henry continued,  “just let the fear go.”

“It’s not that simple,” she told him, then once again yelled, “Elsa! Come quick! Henry, please stop and wait for Elsa.” 

“Emma!” another voice shouted, and next to Killian, Anna gasped. He put a hand on the red-head's arm, and gave a slight shake of his head. Another blonde stepped out of the door of the cabin. “Emma, what’s going on -”

Emma didn’t look at her friend, but simply extended her arm. “Take my hand before I hurt him,” she practically begged. 

Killian peered at Emma closely through the brush and noticed something for the first time. Emma’s hands were glowing and tiny flames danced along her fingertips. Elsa reached out towards her friend, her own hand blue and frosted over. When  fire  met ice, both women’s hands became mere flesh once again, and they both let out sighs of relief. 

“Henry,” Emma said to her son, with a genuine smile on her face, her free arm outstretched. 

Henry beamed and rushed forward, colliding with his mother and wrapping his arms around her waist. Emma embraced him with one arm, bending to kiss the top of his head, but her other hand remained firmly clasped in Elsa’s. 

Anna practically trembled beside him before bursting from her hiding place and racing towards her sister. Elsa gasped her name, and when Anna reached her, she let go of Emma’s hand so the two sisters could hold each other in a tight embrace. Killian worried that their magic would flare again, but Emma seemed completely relaxed as she wrapped her other arm tighter around her son. Then she stepped back, tears marring her cheeks, cupping Henry’s face in her hands. 

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Mom.”

“What just happened?” Anna asked. “When you held hands -”

“It’s something the  sorcerer  Merlin taught us,” Elsa explained. “When our powers mingle, they cancel one another out.”

“But It’s only temporary,” Emma added, “our quest is far from over.”

“Although I don’t know how we’ll reach our next destination. It’s in a distant land, far from the Lonely Islands,” Elsa said. 

“We can help! We can finish your quest with you!” Henry shouted excitedly. 

Killian closed his eyes.  _ Please don’t say it, please don’t . . .  _

“Liam and Killian have a ship!”

Killian winced. So much for easing Emma and Elsa into things. He rose from his hiding place, and for some reason he couldn’t even explain, he slipped into his pirate persona. He swaggered towards the princesses, cocky smirk in place. He even winked as Emma’s jaw dropped and her face went pale. 

“Killian?” she gasped. 

He tilted his head teasingly and quirked a brow. “Did you miss me?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this is going to have to be three parts instead of two. I know what will happen in chapter three, but there just isn't time to include it here. So there will be one more chapter after this.

**_ I've run for miles and lost sight of where you are, but you have seen me all along. Maybe I'm the last to know when I've gone too far, and yet I'm always by your side. This girl  _ ** **_ ain't _ ** **_  going anywhere. I can promise you this, now I know for sure. This girl  _ ** **_ ain't _ ** **_  going anywhere. _ **

_ It’s so early in the morning, the sun isn’t yet up. He’s just left for the docks, and I simply have to get my feelings down on paper. Yes, he just left my chambers. I don’t dare write his name, even here. If he were punished for what we’ve shared, I couldn’t bear it. I don’t know if I can bear our separation either, but  _ _ it _ _  can’t be helped.  _

_ I blush thinking of last night. I told him I was inexperienced, and he was so tender. I felt so loved, so special . . . so safe. I know that sounds strange to say about a night of passion, but it’s true. And there was definitely passion - _

Liam lowered Elsa’s journal, his hands shaking. If he could go back to that night, would he make different choices? It had been Elsa’s idea to sneak him into her chambers, she had been the one to tug him shyly towards her bed, and when he had asked if she was sure, she had assured him – rather enthusiastically, actually – that she was. Yet that didn’t change the fact that she was the crown princess. It didn’t change the fact that he left her in the morning. It didn’t change the fact that he never returned. It hadn’t been his intention, but he had acted as the worst type of cad. 

He swallowed hard before lifting the journal once again. Anna had asked him to read it, even marking certain pages, but knowing he was just hours or less away from seeing Elsa again face to face, he couldn’t shake the feeling he was violating her privacy. Anna had said it would help him understand; whatever that meant. 

_ The letters have stopped altogether. I tried to tell myself he just couldn’t get any to me. Especially with King George constantly threatening war. He keeps his navy on their toes. But now . . . it’s been so long . . .  _

_ I can’t believe what I’ve heard. The Jewel of the Realm is now a pirate ship? Apparently, the entire crew has mutinied against their king, loyal to their captain more than the crown. King George has put a bounty on the heads of every sailor on board. He’s even given writs to violent pirates, declaring them privateers to get his ship back. I swing back and forth between terrifying worry and red-hot anger. If only I knew the reasons. If only a letter would come! _

Liam stopped reading, putting his head in his hands with a groan. He had thought at the time that a letter would have been unwelcome. What a fool he had been! He could have at least explained; hadn’t he owed her at least that much? He lifted his head and kept reading, like a seaman who can’t look away from a shipwreck.

_ I don’t know what’s happening to  _ _ me. _ _  It was so  _ _ gradual, _ _  I didn’t even notice at first. A room turning chilly when I entered. Beverages staying ice cold in my hand. Then, one day, I was crying over a letter I never sent – could never send – to . . . him. The tear drops were ice as they fell, then the feather pen froze in my fingers, snapping in two. The inkwell was a solid block of ice. It’s tied to my emotions, that I can tell, but the more I try to control it, the worse it gets. I’ve confided only in Anna. She believes it’s a gift. But what if I hurt someone? I’ve taken to wearing gloves all the time, but fear it’s only a temporary solution . . .  _

Liam shut the journal, unable to read more. Not only had he broken Elsa’s heart, but he hadn’t been there to help her during a difficult time. And the timing of it all . . . did losing him have something to do with her ice powers? Liam chuckled wryly at himself as he ran a hand through his hair.  _ You think awfully highly of yourself, don’t you, Captain Jones?  _ As if he were capable of rattling a strong, confident woman like Elsa. And  yet .  . . he hadn’t expected the type of heartbreak she had written of in her journal. Hadn’t expected her to await his letters with such expectation. He had never felt worthy of her, and it seems that belief became a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

***********************************************************

Killian had imagined seeing Emma Swan again a million times in his dreams, but in none of them did she slap him across the face. His cheek tingled with the impact, and as he rubbed the redness away, he wondered if the lingering heat was a little taste of her powers. 

“You always were a feisty lass,” Killian sassed, swiping his tongue across his lower lip. 

Henry glared at him, giving him a slight jab in the ribs. “You’re not helping,” he hissed, “be a gentleman.”

Children are notoriously loud at whispering, so it wasn’t as if Emma hadn’t heard her son. Killian winked at her as he took her hand and lifted it to his lips. 

“I’m always a gentleman,” he told her before pressing a lingering kiss there. 

Emma snatched her hand away. “It’s not you,” she told him quickly, “I . . . uh . . . don’t want to hurt you.”

Killian arched a brow. “Your slap in greeting said otherwise.”

Emma rolled her eyes in that endearing way he remembered so fondly. “You deserved it, but a slap is one thing. Burning you is another.”

Killian looked at Emma’s clenched fists, which were glowing a reddish orange. Elsa snatched one of them, and Emma let out a shudder. 

“It’s fading even more quickly,” Emma said with alarm. 

“You need to make haste to Dread Mountain.”

Killian whirled around, drawing his cutlass in one smooth motion, his other arm reaching out instinctively for Henry and the princesses. There before the entrance to the cabin was a man who didn’t look any older than Killian, with a handsome face and a strong, slender build. 

“It’s alright,” Emma said, putting a gentle hand to Killian’s bicep, “it’s Merlin, the sorcerer.”

Killian reluctantly lowered his weapon, hating the feeling of jealousy that rose up within him. It was one thing for the girls to be staying in this hovel with a wizened man with a long white beard, it was quite another for them to be here alone with . . .  _ him _ . 

“Dread Mountain is not a destination for the faint of heart,” Killian said tentatively, still suspicious of the man. 

“I agree,” Merlin said pleasantly with a serene expression, “but the  Quapah  of Dread Mountain are the only ones who know the art of mixing elements.”

“The Quapah!?” Killian exclaimed. “Are you insane? They may kill us on sight! They’ve dabbled in magical arts to the point they’re no more than wraiths.”

“If Emma and Elsa do not seek instruction on how to mix fire and ice, they will each be consumed,” Merlin said, his eyes flashing with intensity. 

“Consumed!” Henry cried out, throwing his arms around Emma.

Jade eyes bore into Killian’s, and his heart sank. It seemed like a suicide mission, but if they did nothing, Emma would surely die. 

“The Brothers Jones offer the crown princesses their ship, their loyalty, and their protection for the remainder of this dangerous quest,” Killian vowed.

“Even your brother?” Elsa asked, an edge to her voice. 

Killian’s eyes widened at the miniature blizzard that ghosted around Elsa’s frame. He swallowed nervously. “I speak for him as well. We trust one another explicitly.”

At least, he hoped so.

*************************************************

“How long were you going to try and ignore me?”

Liam spun around at the sound of that soft, calm voice that had haunted his dreams. And there Elsa stood, in the doorway of his own quarters. She had changed much since he’d seen her last. Her hair was a lighter shade of blonde, with white streaks. Her freckles had faded, her complexion a bit paler, like alabaster. He wondered if these slight changes were because of her magic. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her shoulders still thrown back in that confident regal manner. She looked more sensual too than he remembered, clad in a thin blue gown studded with rhinestones, a gossamer cape about her shoulders. The scooped neckline showed off enough cleavage to cause a physical reaction that he struggled to tamp down. Her long, elegant neck was tantalizing too, and he imagined that her skin was still as soft as rose petals. 

She arched one elegant brow. “Are you just going to stand  there  staring at me?”

He swiped at his lower lip nervously. “You - you used to be so soft-spoken.” He winced. It sounded as if he were insulting her.  _ You really thought that was a good line to open with? _

“Heartbreak makes a person bolder I suppose,” she told him dryly.

He swallowed, and ran a shaky hand across his sweaty brow. “I’m . . . I’m an idiot, Elsa, that’s all I can say.”

“At least we agree on that.” 

He sensed no humor whatsoever in her words. She moved with poise into his chambers, almost as if she were floating. She definitely had the whole “intimidating ice queen” thing down. Liam resisted the urge to take a step back.

“I thought you and your sister would be most comfortable here in the captain’s quarters,” Liam said, attempting a business-like air with a tilt of his chin. 

She ignored him, reaching around to his desk. Her breasts brushed against his upper arm, and he couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through him. When Elsa pulled back, she had a slim leather volume in her hand.

“Who gave you this?” she snapped, her light blue eyes sparking with anger.

“Your sister,” Liam told her simply, “she wanted me to understand -”

“Understand what? My heartbreak?”

“Yes,” he said softly, “and I’m glad I read it. Elsa, I’m so sorry. I owed you an explanation.”

“Then why didn’t you give me one?”

Liam ran both hands through his hair, making the curls stand up crazily. “You and I . . . it was a crazy dream from the beginning. But when I mutinied? I killed it completely. I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t -”

“Think I would understand?” Elsa finished for him, her voice going soft. 

His eyes searched hers, and he realized his love for her had never gone away. She hadn’t backed up after taking her journal from his desk, and if he just leaned forward an inch, his lips would brush hers. 

“No, I suppose I didn’t,” he admitted, “especially since I could scarcely understand it myself.”

“King George planned on using  Dreamshade  as a weapon of  genocide . How could I not understand?”

Liam blinked, unable to hope that he had heard her correctly. She lowered her gaze, a blush staining her cheeks. 

“Unless . . . it was really about getting what you wanted from me. Never really loving me.”

Her words were like a dagger to his heart. “God no, Elsa!” he cried. “I loved you, body and soul, I – I still . . . “

“You still what?” she whispered. 

She was closer still. So close, and her lips so pink and inviting . . . 

Liam lowered his head, his nose brushing hers, and Elsa’s breath hitched. Their lips hovered close, their breaths mingling into frost. Wait . . . why was their frost? Why was he suddenly so cold?

Elsa gasped and stumbled away. He groaned at the loss of her nearness, so disoriented he didn’t understand her retreat. 

Until he saw the icicles hanging from the ceiling of his quarters. 

*****************************************************

Killian nervously swiped a few items from the crate in the corner of his quarters, stuffing them into a canvas sack that hung from his shoulder. Emma stood just behind him, her presence filling up the space so he could scarcely breathe. 

“ Want to sweep the room for all evidence of your conquests? ” she snapped. 

Killian swung towards her ,  eyes ablaze. “That’s rather ironic, coming from you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard things around the docks.”

Killian marched angrily into her personal space. “A man has to keep up appearances, I’m a pirate!” He snarled at her, curling his lip and almost relishing in the slight look of hurt in her eyes. He deflated quickly, however, her hurt not something he truly desired. “But really, there have only been  a small few t o try and numb the pain. The pain you caused. But I can’t let the world know how Princess Emma broke my heart because she refused to write back when I was just a boy.”

By the end of his s hort s peech, he had averted his eyes, scanning the room for any belongings he might have missed. 

“ It's not what you think! ” Emma cried out, and when he turned back to face her, both her fists were clenched. He was relieved to see no hint of red fire.

“You mean you didn’t go and have a child with someone else only a year after I left?”

Emma’s face crumpled, and Killian felt as if a dagger had been thrust into his chest. Feeling remorseful, he reached out a hand, but Emma backed up with a shake of her head. 

“Just let me speak,” she pleaded, and he acquiesced with a nod of his head.  “ The  D ark  O ne –  h is son saw me  one day when I was at the market. He  fancied himself in love with me. ”

Killian’s brow creased. ”Rumplestiltskin has a son?”

Emma nodded. “He kept him very sheltered, killed anyone who wouldn’t give the boy what he wanted, threatened those who didn’t swear his existence to secrecy. Until he met me.”

She twisted her hands nervously as she told her tale. “ Baelfire  - that was his name – was sick with supposed love for me, couldn’t let go of the idea of having me.  So  the Dark One came to my parents with his demand – I would wed his son, or  Misthaven  would be reduced to ash.”

Killian felt  white hot anger  rise up within him. Every fiber within him wanted to rail, throw something, or at least wrap his arms around this strong woman who had obviously been through so much. Instead, his shaky limbs unable to hold him, he collapsed onto the edge of the room’s only cot. 

Emma continued, ignoring his reaction. “How could I risk the  D ark  O ne’s wrath upon my kingdom? You'd barely set sail. My mother talked to me, knew I loved you, asked if we’d written. You likely know my parents ’  story. They always wanted true love for me. My mother begged m e to let them try to find another way . But what could I do? ”

Emma sank to the bed next to him, yet still far enough away that they didn’t touch. “ The engagement was quick, so was the wedding , and there was no announcement, no official declaration that I had wed at all. Yet . . . the Dark One demanded an  heir right away. So . . . I did what was required of me. ”

Killian’s heart felt like it had stopped beating for a moment, as he looked at her profile. She had turned her head away, as if too ashamed to meet his gaze. 

“ Did he hurt you? ” Killian’s voice was hoarse.

Emma’s eyes closed tightly. “ No, it . . . wasn’t what I’d always dreamed of, but he didn’t hurt me.  Bae  was selfish and shallow, but not cruel. ”

Killian’s jaw clenched, and he fought back the tears behind his eyes. He knew he had to stay calm while she told her tale, but he raged inside. This absolute angel beside him deserved to be worshipped, deserved to have a person who would love her enough to put her needs before his own. She didn’t deserve to be used in such a base and vile way.

“ Emma, ” he finally asked, voice soft and gentle, “ what happened to him? ”

Emma looked  at her hands,  f a ce coloring with shame.  “ W hen I first found out I was with child, he was thrilled, even more so when my grandm other' s old pendant showed it was a boy. But as the time of my confinement neared, he began to withdraw. After a time, it became clear. My changing body disgusted him. ”

Killian’s jaw clenched, though he held his tongue. This man was the lowest scum, in his opinion. How could he have held his bride in such contempt for bearing his son? It was unfathomable. Even worse was the look of shame and embar r assment on Emma’s face  right now.  He longed to  gather her close , to assure her that if he had the infinite blessing to create life with her, he would see it as nothing short of miraculous and  overwhelmingly  beautiful. 

“ W hen Henry was born,  Baelfire showed  no interest in him. Didn't want to hold him or even look at him. He was never around, really. He started coming home later and later in the evenings.  He said that if he was my dirty little secret, nothing was stopping him from passing his time in the taverns.”

Emma took a long shuddering breath, and finally Killian could stand it no longer. He took her nearest hand in his. She gave him a trembling smile as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.  

“Then, when Henry was about four months old, I heard a noise in  Baelfire ’s  private chamber, and I . . . I caught him in the act with one of my chamber maids. The woman, she ran off in shame, but  Bae  and I argued. My magic had been flaring on and off. I kept brushing it off, thinking I was imagining things. But – I was so angry, I lost control. ”

Emma crumpled in on herself, and Killian  wrapped his arms around her. 

“ The \- the  fire, it engulfed the room, ” Emma gasped out as tears wet Killian’s shirt sleeve, “ and I fled with the baby. Everyone assumed it was an accident,  and I didn’t correct them. The  _ accident  _ and Henry’s existence where the only things that kept the Dark One from turning on the kingdom in his grief.   Anyway, my magic didn’t flare again until a few months ago. ”

“ With  H enry? ”

“ Yes. A skittish horse broke free from the stable hands . I t was coming right for him, so I grabbed Henry and yanked him out of  th e way. There were burn marks in the shape of my hands. ”

Emma’s silent tears turned to sobs, and she turned in Killian’s embrace. HIs heart broke over her weeping, but the feel of her in his arms was heaven. He whispered words of comfort against her hair and rubbed her back. A warmth spread across his chest. At first he thought it was simply his body’s physical reaction to her nearness after so many years, but then the warmth grew hotter, and he realized it was coming from where Emma’s palms rested. She gasped and jerked away. Her eyes wide and frantic, she scrambled from the bed, and backed out of the room, almost falling as she stumbled. 

“I’m so sorry!”

“Emma -”

“No! Stay back!” she cried, then she fled from him, calling out for Elsa. 

Killian sagged back down onto his bed, rattled from the flare of Emma’s magic, but more from the story she had told. The tragedy of it, the difficulties she had been through, overwhelmed him, and his head collapsed into his hands. He knew now why she had stopped writing him, and the person that it had hurt the most was Emma herself.  

*****************************************************

Killian was supposed to be plotting their course, but he kept fumbling the sextant in his hands. If his gaze kept being pulled to Emma, he would end up dropping it completely. She was a vision, standing at the rail, her hair blowing in the ocean breeze. He sighed, and lowered his gaze back to the maps in front of him. She had avoided him since the moment they had shared in his quarters, spending the majority of her time with the other ladies and her son. When Henry wasn’t busy as the ship’s junior seaman, that is. She would sometimes smile fondly at him over Henry’s enthusiasm, and those brief moments were like a balm to Killian’s heart.

On the upper deck, Liam was speaking with Elsa, his smile bright as his hands gestured out to sea. The blonde laughed delicately, slender fingers pressed to her lips. Her reaction made his brother beam, his chest puffing up. Killian was equal parts jealous and happy for his brother. Elsa was still hesitant, even flinching away anytime Liam tried to touch her, but it was clear she was simply afraid of hurting him. Emotionally, the pair of them seemed to be picking up where they left off. 

If only Emma would give him the same chance. She was no longer the open, exuberant princess she had been in their youth. She was still feisty and obviously willing to fight for her kingdom and her son. As for herself, however, she was guarded and distant. Killian longed to tear down her walls, but he knew he would have to do it slowly, brick by brick. 

As Killian lowered his head back to his task, he didn’t see Emma turn her eyes away from the sea and land upon him. A wistful smile filled her face as she watched Killian work, the fingers of his left hand worrying at his chin, his thumb running across his lower lip. She remembered well what his kisses felt like, how they made her feel out of control and completely safe simultaneously. But as a boy of seventeen, he had been clean shaven. She wondered what that scruff he now sported would feel like against her chin, her cheeks, and . . . other places. She felt a blush stain her cheeks, and she quickly looked away. She took long, slow breaths to calm her suddenly racing heart. The heat sparking between her fingertips slowly drained away as her blood cooled. She saw Killian’s hurt, wondering why Emma ignored him while Elsa and Liam enjoyed one another’s platonic company. He had no idea the affect he still had on her, and with her magic, she was a danger to everyone on board more so than Elsa. Fire wasn’t exactly a friend to a wooden pirate ship. 

Suddenly, there was a cloud of red smoke, and when it cleared, Emma had to bite back a scream. Standing on the deck of the Jolly Roger was the Dark One himself. As shouts went up from the crew, Emma looked around frantically for her son, and when she found him sitting on a barrel mending a sail, she yanked him up and pulled him close, shielding him from his grandfather.

“Rumplestiltskin,” Killian bit out as he drew his cutlass, “we meet at last, snake.” He sneered, looking the reptilian man up and down. “Or should I call you crocodile?”

Emma’s heart pounded in her chest as she whispered  Killian’s  name in warning, pulling Henry along as she shuffled close to her former flame. She understood his anger, but he had no idea what the imp was capable of. 

The Dark One gave the pirate a dismissive glance before pointing one of his claws at Emma. She surreptitiously pushed Henry behind her.

“You, princess, did not fulfill our deal.”

“Your son wanted me, and he had me. I even bore him a son. I’d say I fulfilled it just fine.”

Rumple’s eyes flashed bright red. “By treating my son like the royal family’s dirty secret? And don’t think I haven’t put two and two together about the supposed  _ accident _  that killed him. Not since the truth about you came out.”

“You never specified what  _ kind _  of marriage.” Despite her fear, Emma arched a brow. “Perhaps you should have read the fine print.”

Killian was equal parts aroused and nervous by his Emma’s bold sass.

“No, my dear,” the Dark One hissed, practically skipping across the deck. Liam moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother. Elsa eased closer to Emma, extending her hand as subtly as possible towards Emma’s in case she needed it. “I think it’s  _ you _  who failed to read the fine print. The boy, in the event of my son’s demise, is  _ mine _ !”

Before anyone had time to react to Rumple’s words, he had transported Henry to his side. Everyone cried out. Emma choked on sudden tears at the look of terror on her son’s face. 

“No, please!” she begged. “You haven’t cared a thing about him for eight years. Why would you want him now?”

Killian’s fingers itched around the hilt of his cutlass. He could feel the tension radiating from his brother beside him. Looking around, he saw the entire crew had encircled their unwanted visitor with swords and pistols drawn. Liam’s raised hand stayed them. They couldn’t risk Henry. But what if the Dark One suddenly disappeared, taking the boy with him?

“Well,” Rumple cackled, “for one, these  _ talents  _ of yours intrigue me, and I like to have a bargaining chip.   For another,  he’s at a more manageable age, and it’s high time I had another boy to groom. ” 

With that, as they all cried out in horror, the Dark One plunged his hand inside Henry’s chest. The boy’s mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Rumple tugged, yanking Henry’s heart from his chest.

“Please!” Emma sobbed, and she could feel the fire lighting up her veins. Part of her wanted to give in to it, but she was too afraid of hurting her son. “Don’t hurt him!”

“Hurt him? Now, why would I want to do that when I can control him?” The reptilian man cackled again, bringing Henry’s heart up to his lips. “Bow and pledge your loyalty to me, young prince.”

“I pledge my loyalty,” Henry repeated in a monotone, lowering his knees before the Dark One.

The grimace of restrained anger on Henry’s face made Killian’s blood boil. His mind was transported to days of whips and fists forcing him to his own knees. With Henry’s lowered position, Killian saw an opening and with a shout he lunged forward, bringing the hilt of his sword down on the Dark One’s wrist, sending Henry’s heart falling from his grasp. In one fluid motion, Killian scooped it up in his left hand. 

“Give it back, pirate!”  Rumplestiltskin  screamed in rage. 

Killian clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mockery. “Uh, uh, uh, I’m disinclined to acquiesce to your request, crocodile.”

“Then I’ll just take it,” he hissed.

Before Killian could register anything, his cutlass had been transported to Rumple’s scaly hand. The blade came down on the wrist that held Henry’s heart, and both the red glowing organ and Killian’s left hand hit the deck. For a heartbeat, Killian couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing. Then the pain hit him in an overwhelming, blinding wave as his blood spilled upon the deck. Several voices were screaming his name, but all Killian could do was crumple to his knees as he cradled his arm to his chest. Over his head, waves of ice and fire collided together, hitting the Dark One in the chest. Liam rushed to snatch Henry’s heart as the Dark One rose back to his feet. 

“No one’s magic is a match for mine!” 

“Leave them alone!” another voice rent the air. 

Emma, panting from exertion and fear, lifted her head to see Anna there, Kristoff at her side. They were both slightly disheveled, and Kristoff’s shirt was buttoned wrong, and under any other circumstances, it would have been funny to realize where they had disappeared to. Anna held a dagger in her shaking hands, pointing it at Rumplestiltskin. Emma was surprised when the imp’s eyes widened in fear. Anna wasn’t exactly intimidating, and wherever she had found that dagger, it couldn’t possibly be a match for  his dark magic.

“Where did you get that?” 

“It’s yours,” Anna taunted, a trembling half smile lifting the corner of her mouth, “fell out of your coat when my sister blasted you.”

Rumple’s eyes narrowed, and he cackled. “You are nothing, little girl.” He reached for Henry.

“Don’t touch him!” Anna screamed, and to everyone’s shock, Rumple snatched his hand back. “Step back!”

Once again, the Dark One did what Anna commanded. The red head tilted her head, her forehead creased in thought.

“Wait a second. You’re staying away from him just because I told you to?’

It was the barest of glances, but Emma noticed  Rumplestiltskin’s  eyes flick to the dagger in Anna’s hands. She wondered if Anna had noticed it as well. The smile that lifted the girl’s face said that she did.

“I get it,” she smirked, waving the dagger around, “as long as I’m holding this wavy knife, you have to do whatever I say. Is that why your name’s on it?”

The Dark One scowled and then stomped his foot like a petulant child. “Yes.”

Killian collapsed onto his side, curling in on himself with cries of pain. Emma fell to her knees beside him, her still red-hot hands hovering over him as tears streamed down her face. Anna’s gaze flickered to the two of them.

“Then heal him,” she commanded.

Rumplestiltskin’s  smile made Emma’s skin crawl. “No can do, little princess. Magic has rules, and one of them is that magic can’t restore what magic has taken. I took his hand, it’s gone.” 

He did a merry little, slightly demented dance as he clapped his hands. It made Emma want to set him on fire. 

“Then at least save his life!” Emma screamed. 

She cursed herself inwardly. All she wanted to do was gather Killian close, comfort him, but the emotions surging through her had her hands glowing like hot coals. Elsa seemed to sense her distress, and sank to her knees next to her, taking both of her hands in hers.

“You heard her!” Anna screamed. “Save him!”

The Dark One gave an exaggerated eye roll. “Fine.” 

Then he pointed a lazy finger at Killian, who still writhed in pain. A dark smoke of magic enveloped him, and when it cleared, the wound had closed and the bleeding had stopped. His body slumped in Emma’s arms, and she wiped at his sweaty brow with her fingertips. If there hadn’t been an audience, she would have pressed a kiss there in relief.

“Now,” Anna said, her voice shaking as much as her hands, “leave this ship and never come back – oh! And you have to stay away from Arendelle and  Misthaven  for the rest of eternity. That’s all, now go.”

The Dark One raged, his eyes almost flashing fire. “Don’t think this is over! I’ve gotten that  dagger  away from forces stronger than you! I will again! I -’

He was cut off as the pull of the dagger’s command became too much, and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Anna’s trembling arms fell to her sides, the dagger clattering to the deck. She sagged in Kristoff’s arms. 

“You were amazing, babe!” he gushed, peppering her face with kisses. She turned and put her arms around his neck, melting into his embrace as the adrenaline wore off. 

Emma pulled Killian’s head into her lap, running her fingers through his hair. Tears still streamed down her face. He was still unconscious, and his pulse was weak. 

“Will he be okay?” Henry whispered. 

Liam’s face was grim, his voice choked with emotion when he answered. “The Dark One may have healed his wound, but his body’s still in  shock.”  Captain Jones’s gaze landed on the pools of his brother’s blood. When he saw the severed hand, he shuddered and looked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, I just couldn't resist ending on that cliffhanger ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. I've increased this to four chapters. But, for one, it's been months since I last updated this. The muse has been moving like molasses on this fic, and I just didn't want to make ya'll wait any longer. For another, I reached over 3,000 words and realized I had a ways to go! So, four chapters it is!

_ Oh, I know I’ve searched the world to find my heart is yours. Oh, my heart is yours. This girl ain’t going anywhere. _

Emma lay on the small cot in Killian’s quarters, her arms and legs flung out. Henry snored softly from the hammock that Killian had hung for him in the corner of the room. Thinking of Killian only made her that much warmer and even less likely to get to sleep. She hated to waken Elsa to calm her magic, so instead she rose from the bed and made her way above deck hoping that the cooler air would do the trick.

The cool, salt-scented breeze that brushed her cheeks was barely noticeable, however, when she saw the figure standing at the railing. His feet were spread wide, his shoulders flung back like the navy had trained him. His right hand clasped his new steel hook behind his back.

Emma hesitated. For weeks he had been avoiding her. A cruel twist of fate after how  _ she _ had avoided  _ him  _ when she first came aboard. Now she would give anything to hear him say her name, give her a smile, anything.

When she finally decided to turn and head back down to her quarters, Killian’s voice stopped her.

“Is everything alright, love?”

Emma turned sheepishly, worrying her bottom lip, “Yes, everything’s fine. I just couldn’t sleep.”

His eyes were downcast, his face lined with melancholy. He had stuffed his hooked arm into the pocket of his duster when turning towards her.

“I hope my use of your room hasn’t disrupted your sleeping habits.”

He sounded so damn formal, it made her want to scream. “Killian, it was your room first. And with your injury -”

“Rumplestiltskin stopped the bleeding just fine,” he cut her off, “the lot of you didn’t need to baby me.”

Emma frowned, her heart tightening at his harsh words. Actually, he had raged with fever for two days. Only Elsa’s magic had been able to bring it down. He had mumbled incoherently at times. And at other times . . .

_ “Emma,” he called out weakly. _

_ “Yes, Killian,” she said from her spot in the doorway to his quarters. _

_ “Don’t leave me.” _

_ Tears pricked at her eyes. He sounded younger and so vulnerable. _

_ “I’m right here.” _

_ “Come closer.” _

_ A tear rolled down her cheek. “I can’t . . . my magic . . . your fever . . . “ _

_ “Yes, yes, your magic,” he muttered, head rolling back and forth on the pillow, “but I love you still. You know that, right?” _

 

Emma shook off the memories of when he was ill. He was only speaking such things in his delirium, for the moment he was better, he had kept as much distance between them as the close quarters of a pirate ship would allow. She stepped closer, resting her hands upon the railing. Whether it was the sea, or the calming presence of the man beside her, the fire in her veins had cooled.

“You were quite ill, actually,” she corrected him softly.

“And now I’m maimed. Broken.”

He turned his gaze out to the water, his jaw clenching. She took a step closer and rested a trembling hand on his left arm, right where his brace met his arm.

“No, Killian, you’re wrong. You’re a hero who saved Henry. I only hope . . . “ she bit her lip and took a deep breath, “that you don’t blame me.”

“Blame you?” his head snapped towards her. “Of course not!”

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“Isn’t it bloody obvious?”

“No, actually, it isn’t!”

“Because any hope I had of winning you back is gone forever!” he shouted, his face crumbling with the pain of the words. He lowered his head, his lashes brushing his cheeks as his entire body deflated. “I was already unworthy of you, but I held out hope that I could still show you that I was still deep down a good man.”

“You have,” she told him, reaching out boldly to reach beneath his duster. She tugged on the hook, despite the look of shame in his eyes as they hesitantly met hers. She grasped it firmly with both hands and pressed it to her heart. “If you think this,” she shook the appendage slightly to emphasize her words, “changes anything, then you never knew me at all.”

“Emma,” he groaned, stepping close enough to breathe in the same air, their noses almost touching.

His close proximity made her heart race, and along with it, the fire of her magic sparked to life. Killian didn’t seem to care, brushing his lips gently against hers. She held his hook tight as she kissed him back, moving her lips over his in a familiar dance. She only allowed herself a moment before she pulled back and put distance between them, unwilling to hurt him further. She glanced down and gasped to see his hook glowing red where she had grasped it.

“Well,” he chuckled, waving it in the air between them, “I suppose this is one positive development.”

Emma tried to laugh, but it came out choked. “You say you’re unworthy of me, Killian. Yet I’m the one who’s the monster.”

“No, don’t say that.”

“But you see how it’s getting harder and harder for me to control it!”

“But we’ll go to Dread Mountain and the Quapah will have an answer. You can’t lose hope.”

Emma gave him a crooked smile. “Then neither can you.”

“Aye,” he said with a sigh, “fair enough.”

He extended his hook, and she took it, wrapping her fingers slowly around it. Somehow, knowing she couldn’t hurt the steel made calm settle within her. Her magic slowly ebbed, and her eyes lit up as she smiled at Killian.

“See,” he told her.

He tugged her closer, and they stood at the railing looking out at the moon reflected on the water. Neither spoke, and Killian didn’t attempt to touch her again; their only contact were her fingers grasping his hook tightly. Finally, once the steel had cooled to gray once again, he turned to look into her eyes.

“I know it isn’t possible, but it’s almost as if I can feel your hand in mine.”

She reached out and cupped his cheek tenderly. She had meant to bring him comfort, and yet he had given it to her instead. If that wasn’t the mark of a good man, she didn’t know what was.

*********************************************************

Dread Mountain rose like a smoking, hulking monster as they approached the Lone Island. It actually wasn’t smoke, for it wasn’t a volcano, but instead a mist of thick magic. Legend said that the Quapah hoarded it, unwilling to share its massive power with outsiders. Some said it was light magic, some said it was dark, but pretty much everyone agreed on one thing: the Quapah did not welcome outsiders. Yet that was the very place Liam was leading his crew and his passengers, including the woman he loved. Liam sighed, running a hand agitatedly through his hair.  

“I always did love your curls when they were wild like that.”

He turned to see Elsa standing at his elbow. She was smiling up at him fondly, the sea breeze tugging strands of her pale hair loose from her braid. He reached out tenderly to tuck one behind her ear. He couldn’t resist running his fingertips down her cheek. Her skin was always so soft, so flawless. Now, his skin tingled and a shudder ran through him. He frowned as he tipped her chin up so he could study her more closely. 

“Are you getting colder?”

“It doesn’t bother me,” she shrugged off, but he took note of the slight blue tinge of her lips. 

“I need to speak to you, brother.”

Liam turned at the sound of Killian’s voice, and his stomach churned to see a slight panic in his little brother’s expression. 

“And Emma needs you - urgently,” Killian told Elsa. 

The blonde queen raced for the stairs leading below deck without question. Once she was below, Liam turned questioning eyes on his brother. 

“What is it?”

“I”m not sure,” Killian said, shaking his head. Liam tried not to glance at the hook at the end of his brother’s arm, which he was tapping nervously against his thigh. He still couldn’t look at it without bile rising in his throat. It wasn’t that the disability made him think less of his brother, nothing could ever do that. It was that the hook was a glaring symbol of Liam’s failure to do what he had sworn to their mother he would do: protect Killian.

“Is Emma getting worse?”

Killian’s brows rose upon his forehead. “How did you know?”

Liam sighed as he ran a hand over his face. “Because I suspect Elsa is as well. Her hands were icy to the touch when she first came aboard, but now so are her cheeks, and her lips look a little blue.”

Killian nodded, his jaw clenching. “Aye, tis the same with Emma. The fire looks like veins running down her arms and to her fingertips. Not all the time, but often enough to concern me. And there just seems to be . . . a sort of, steam? Yes, I think that describes it. Steam comes off her at times.”

“Their magic is consuming them, just as Merlin warned.” 

“I’m afraid so.”

Liam looked out into the distance where Dread Mountain loomed. They would make land in just an hour or two, but then they had to actually climb the mountain to reach the village of the Quapah. 

And then they had to pray that the strange race didn’t kill them on sight.

*********************************************************

Liam and Killian didn’t speak as they rowed to shore, between them, Elsa and Emma huddled together, their hands clasped together to keep the fire and ice balanced. Both their frames shook, however, and their shoulders were hunched. The Jolly Roger loomed behind them with Kristoff, Smee, and Anna aboard to keep the crew in line. 

Anna and Henry both had begged to come along, but the princesses themselves begged the pirates not to allow it. The Quapah might be hostile and there was no telling what other dangers lurked upon the mountain. Killian’s jaw clenched as he glanced at Emma’s face. Her brow was deeply furrowed, her lips were pressed together in a grimace of pain, and a sheen of sweat coated her skin. Killian feared there was another reason Emma and Elsa didn’t want their loved ones joining them on this quest. 

Neither wanted Anna and Henry to witness their death if they failed. 

Emma suddenly cried out and scrambled to the side of the boat. Before anyone could react, she flung herself into the waves. A hiss of steam rose from the water where the went under. 

“Emma!” Killian shouted, jumping overboard himself. 

His arms sliced through the water as he expertly dove beneath each wave. Emma wasn’t fairing as well, clearly never having been taught how to swim with the current instead of against it. 

“Stay back!” Emma screamed before choking on a mouthful of sea water. Another wave crashed into her before she could get another lungful of air, and Killian dove under to reach her. He grasped her around the waist and held her tightly with his hooked arm as his right sliced through the water, swimming in a zig zag pattern to avoid the riptide. Soon his feet dragged along the pebbly ocean floor, and he staggered to his feet under Emma’s extra weight. 

Steam began to rise off her body as salt water evaporated from her skin. She was extremely warm to the touch, yet not hot enough to scald him. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, and the sound of her rasping coughs as she choked up salt water was music to his ears. 

When the water became knee deep, Emma squirmed in his grasp. “Put me down, put me down!” she yelped. 

He let out a hiss of pain just as he set her to her feet, her skin becoming hot enough to burn him. She doubled in on herself, her veins visible beneath her pale skin as the fire raced through her. Killian spun around frantically. He saw Liam a few feet down the beach securing the row boat. 

“Hurry!” he yelled, waving his arms. “Bring Elsa!”

Liam didn’t hesitate to scoop Elsa up out of the boat and race across the sand with her in his arms. Killian turned to Emma, and she nodded in understanding as she struggled through the surf towards their companions. Killian wished he could assist her in some way, but her magic was so strong now, the sea at her feet boiled in her wake. 

Liam cried out in pain, stumbling to the ground with a shivering Elsa. The ice princess scrambled from his arms, crawling on all fours across the sand. In her wake, the sand froze smooth. Emma was on all fours now too, and both women cried out as they reached towards one another. Their fingers touched, and their magic lessend. They inched closer, grasping their hands in a firm grip, and both of them let out relieved sighs as their magic completely abated. Killian leaned over Emma, who gasped for breath in the sand. 

“I . .. I was about to lose control,” she told him, “and I didn’t want to catch the boat on fire.”

“I understand,” he told her, trembling all over himself as he gathered her close. Sobs wracked her body as she clutched at the front of his shirt.

“We must get them to the Quapah  _ now _ ,” Liam said, holding a trembling Elsa.

Killian nodded. They had planned on setting up camp just beyond the tree line and heading up the mountain first thing tomorrow after a good rest. It was clear, however, that the women didn’t have time for that luxury.

*****************************************************

Time had ceased to exist for the Jones brothers and the women they assisted up the mountain. The princesses were stumbling now, sometimes collapsing and writhing in pain. Every step up the rocky path required exhausting effort. Liam and Killian suffered too, marks on their skin from times they had helped the women along, heedless of the pain. They couldn’t get close to them now, however, their magic was too out of control. Elsa had turned completely white, a layer of frost all along her skin. Emma’s skin pulsed red, her hair sometimes writhing in tongues of flame. The two women never let go of one another, their contact as they soldiered on the only thing keeping them from being consumed by either fire or ice.

The wind had grown stronger, the land more desolate, and the men were fairly certain they were in the Quapah’s territory now. The path inclined more sharply, and around the next bend Killian could see crude dwellings carved into the rock. 

“Hello?” Liam called out. “We come in peace, desperate for help.”

The only response was the harsh cry of the wind. Behind the men, the women cried 

suddenly in agony,  and Killian added his angry voice to that of his brother’s.

“Do you not see? Do you not care? These women suffer greatly, and you could help them!”

The wind whipping around them thickened and darkened, and Killian at first thought a sudden fog had appeared. Then the fog coalesced into shapes that hovered low to the ground. Before Killian’s eyes, arms, legs, and bodies formed out of the fog, and then bony, gray faces were gazing at him with large, luminescent eyes. 

“Whyyyy,” ethereal voices sang as one, “do youuuu seeeek our wiiiiisdom?”

“These women,” Liam explained in a voice that was strong yet respectful, “are being consumed by their magic.”

“We seeee,” the group trilled again, “fiiiire and iiiiice alwaaaays consuuuuuumes.”

“Do you mean there’s no hope?” Killian choked out.

“There is alwaaaaays hooooope.”

The Quapah begin to rise a few feet off the ground, then they spun like a vortex around Elsa and Emma. Soon, the women were hidden in a swirl of gray. Liam glanced at Killian, but neither of them knew what to do. The fog crackled with energy which pulsed outward, knocking the Jones brothers off their feet. With a groan, they struggled to stand again, calling out to Emma and Elsa.

But the rocky ground was empty and the wind whistled eerily through the empty dwellings on the mountainside.

***********************************************************

Killian shivered under his blanket which was covered in a light dusting of snow. He leaned over the fire he and Liam had built and flipped the thick slices of bacon over in the sizzling pan with his hook. Liam blew on his fingertips as he watched his younger brother prepare breakfast. 

They had been here on top of the mountain for three days now. Emma and Elsa were safe. For the most part. That was really all they knew. 

The Quapah had secluded the two women within the depths of their sacred temple. What happened within was a long held mystery, and the Jones brothers were not allowed to enter. They saw the women only during brief moments of the day, enough to know that they were surviving. Yet there were times when Elsa’s lips were still blue or Emma’s skin still smoldered. At times strange flashes of light or strangled cries came from the depths of the temple. There had been moments when the brothers had attempted to burst in with swords drawn, but each time the Quapah had thwarted them with bursts of magic. 

Liam scowled as he shoved bacon into his mouth. Killian clenched his jaw as he took in his brother’s frustrated body language. 

“What do you suppose they’re doing in there?”

“I don’t know,” Liam answered with a shake of his head, “when I pulled Elsa aside before bed last night, all she would say was that they were teaching them balance. Whatever the bloody hell that means.”

“I’m just as worried as you are,” Killian sighed, “but Emma and Elsa are strong women.

We have to trust them.”

“It’s the Quapah I don’t trust,” Liam whispered. 

“They’re a mysterious people, I’ll give you that,” Killian whispered back, “but I don’t think they are deceptive or vindictive, just cautious. I don’t think they’ve had the best experience with outsiders.” 

“I suppose you’re right,” Liam  grumbled as he rose to his feet. He pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders as he gazed out into the swirling snow. “I worry about more than Elsa and Emma, Killian. The realms were on the brink of war, remember? And the Princess of Ice and the Princess of Fire are still missing as far as the rest of the world is concerned.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” Liam explained, his hand going instinctively to the hilt of his sword, “that if we don’t get the princesses home soon, all hell may break loose.”

***************************************************************

Worry and boredom don’t go well together, a fact that Anna was painfully aware of at the moment. There wasn’t much to do aboard the Jolly Roger but wait, and it was driving her slowly insane. Dread Mountain loomed in the distance from where the Jolly was anchored, and the flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder from its peak only increased her agitation. 

“She’ll be alright.”

At the sound of Kristoff’s voice, Anna turned and fell into his embrace, pressing her nose into his collarbone. She grasped his shirt as he soothingly ran his hands up and down her back. 

“You don’t know that.” Her words were muffled against his broad chest.

 “I have hope. Isn’t that enough?”

She leaned back and reached up to cup his face in her hands. “I wish I could cling to that.”

“You have before,” he said, his brow furrowed, “don’t give up now.”

“Things have changed . . . “ she trailed off, unsure how to tell him. She wasn’t even sure if it was the right time. She had suspected when they left to find the Jolly Roger, but had intentionally deluded herself, her mind thinking only of her sister. Yet now, with the days passing, with stores getting low, and no sign of Elsa, Emma, or the Jones Brothers, she had to face the facts. Fixing her gaze on Kristoff, she dropped one hand and laid it across her abdomen. 

“I don’t understand. What’s changed?”

“Men,” she murmured fondly, taking his hand and pressing it to her still flat belly. 

His eyes flew wide. “You mean . . . you’re . . . that is to say that we . . . “

Despite the situation, Anna’s lips turned up in a smile and she nodded her head as tears stung her eyes. “We’re having a baby, Kristoff.”

His mouth fell open then, and for a moment, she was worried that he wasn’t happy. But then he let out a whoop as he lifted her off her feet and spun her around. “This is . . . I don’t have words, but . . . but -”

“But you’re happy?” she asked nervously.

“Yes, yes!” he laughed, peppering her face with kisses, then pulling her close against him.

“You see now why I’m worried?” she told him as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder and clutched him tightly. “Should we be risking our child? Maybe we should get the Jolly Roger to the nearest port, restock, then come back for them. It’s not that I want to abandon my sister, but we have to be realistic. I know the crew won’t like it, but maybe . . . “ She trailed off and blew a strand of hair from her face in irritation. She always rambled when she was worried. 

Anna pulled back from her fiance with concern. He had gone strangely quiet, and his gaze seemed fixed on the horizon. “Kristoff? Did you hear anything I just said?”

“Um, yes, but . . . “ he tore his gaze from the sea and looked down at her with fear in his eyes, “heading for the nearest port may not be possible.”

“Why not?”

He turned her gently by the shoulders to face the water. 

“Because of that,” he said grimly. 

A line of ships were appearing over the horizon, flying the colors of multiple kingdoms. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Elsa are still with the Quapah, seeking to balance their fire and ice powers so they can control them. Meanwhile, the other kingdoms are poised for war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it has taken me almost a year to finish this gift for katie-dub! Katie, I hope you like this ending. I was really inspired by Emma's strength and heroism in your fic "The Princess of White Chapel."

The land of the Quapah was typically still, the only sounds the wind whistling eerily. The people themselves were reserved and had a mysterious gentleness about their way of life. So when that  quiet was broken by the clanging of steel and shouts, the Jones Brothers were on their feet and racing into the center of the village with swords drawn. 

Killian had no idea what kind of warriors, if any, this ancient race possessed, but he shouldn’t have worried. The Quapah wielded swords of blue flame that met steel with a clang and a hiss. They moved with grace and ferocity, and combined their sword play with magic - lifting stones from the earth and hurling them at the enemy. 

“Knights of Camelot,” Liam called out to his brother.

“I noticed,” Killian quipped, parrying a blow from one knight as he sent another sprawling with a kick to the stomach. “The red seal of the round table was a bit hard to miss.”

Killian’s blood ran cold as a broad, confident knight galloped into the fray atop a black steed. It was King Arthur himself. Stories of his obsession with the dark arts had become the thing of legend. His wife’s betrayal with the knight Lancelot had only sent Arthur falling further into madness. It wasn’t a foe Killian was keen on facing. 

The Quapah hurled magic in Arthur’s direction, and it was a kind of magic Killian had never seen before. The earth trembled, sending rocks spraying in Arthur’s direction. A geyser of water followed after, hitting Arthur square in the chest and knocking him off his horse. The horse reared in terror, then galloped back down the mountainside. In the chaos, Killian saw Arthur race towards the path that led to the temple. 

“Liam, the princesses!” he shouted as he took off after the King of Camelot. Liam followed at his heels. 

Yet several of the knights of Camelot saw the brothers chasing their king, and soon Liam was battling three of them at once, leaving Killian to face Arthur alone. The king’s face blanched when he saw the hook at the end of Killian’s left arm, and the pirate smirked. 

“Never faced a pirate before, your majesty?”

Arthur’s only response was a growl as he swung his sword. Killian met him stroke for stroke, but the king was forcing him up the hill ever closer to the temple that hid Emma and 

Elsa. Killian had to draw Arthur away from there, so he spun and swiped at the man’s legs. Arthur anticipated the move, however, dodging to the right. The rocky, hilly terrain threw Killian off balance, and Arthur took advantage of it. Before Killian knew what was happening, he was tumbling down the hill, his cutlass flying from his hand.  _ Well, at least I’m drawing him away from the princesses  _ he thought dryly. His shoulder slammed against a large rock and he groaned as Arthur drew near, laughing. Killian turned his head to see his brother dispatching a knight, but two more were closing in on Liam.

“You shouldn’t bring a hook to a sword fight,” Arthur sneared, grasping the hilt of his sword with both hands. 

“Well, I brought a sword,” Killian replied with sarcasm, “but I seem to have misplaced it.”

Arthur brought his boot down on Killian’s shoulder, which he had apparently injured in his tumble down the hill. Killian cried out in pain. Arthur’s sword was coming down on him, and he held his breath -

Suddenly, another sword met Arthur’s with the ring of metal hitting metal. Killian gasped to see Emma standing over him, her face contorted with rage. She had saved him! With a cry, Emma flung her other arm out, and as she did, her entire body became luminescent, her hair glowing like embers. A ball of fire hit Arthur and sent him sprawling backwards. 

Killian looked up at her in awe, her name slipping from his lips like a prayer. She looked down at him, eyes ablaze and intense. Behind her, Killian could see more knights of Camelot descending on them both. Where was Liam? Emma flung both her arms out in front of her, dropping her sword. The earth beneath them shook, water spurted up, and the soil beneath Killian undulated like a wave, carrying him backward. Emma turned one palm up and flung her arm skyward. The geysers followed her movement, and Killian’s view of her was blocked by a wall of water. 

“Killian!”

No voice had ever sounded sweeter, and Killian turned to see his brother being deposited by another wave of earth right next to him. He noticed Elsa on the other side of Liam, but then she flung her arms outward and ice flew from her fingertips. The wall of water instantly froze, and before Killian or Liam could process it, they were completely surrounded by walls of ice. 

“No!” Liam shouted, scrambling to his feet and rushing forward. He pounded on the ice wall, yelling Elsa’s name. 

“I don’t think that’s going to help,” Killian said, unable to keep the humor out of his voice. 

Liam scowled at him. “Why would they do this?”

Killian arched a brow. “To keep us safe, it looks like.”

“But that’s . . . but we’re supposed to -”

“ _ We’re  _ supposed to save  _ them _ ?” Killian laughed. “Hate to break it to you, brother, but it looks like  _ we’re  _ the damsels in distress in this little drama.”

Liam scowled and kicked and pounded at the ice wall. He finally let out an irritated breath and turned on his brother, his hands on his hips. “They do realize we can freeze to death, right?”

As if the princesses could hear Liam Jones, a crackling fire suddenly sprang up in the center of the ice fortress. Killian threw his brother a lopsided grin before plopping down before the fire and rubbing his hands before the flames. He rolled his shoulder as warmth spread down his entire arm. Hm, Emma had even taken care of his injury. 

“I don’t know about you, brother,” said Killian smugly, “but I thought Emma looked incredibly sexy saving my life.”

*******************************************************

There wasn’t much one ship could do when surrounded by multiple fleets. The Jolly 

Roger had no choice but to fly the white flag of surrender.

Yet the attacking fleets had no interest in the codes of war. Anna’s knees buckled and Henry’s face turned white as the enemy ships prepared their canons. Kristoff hugged them both close, praying to every god he could think of as explosions rocked the air. They all braced for impact.

An impact that never came. When one pregnant moment faded into another, those aboard the Jolly finally, hesitantly lifted their heads. Smoke and embers float upon the air around them, as if the cannonballs were disintegrated before they found their mark. 

“Look!” Henry cried, pointing. 

Through the smoke, two figures seemed to hover above the ocean waves. Elsa seemed to skate across the water on a sheet of ice, wind spinning through the air around her. Walls of water poised to crash turned to ice in her wake, Emma rode along an updraft, fire at her fingertips, turning the sea water to vapor. Her hair writhed around her, her skin sparking, yet she was not consumed. Elsa’s eyes were of arctic ice - blinding, fiery, and piercing. She was a blizzard incarnate, roiling across the sea. Emma obliterated canon balls then absorbed the fiery explosions, the green of her eyes brighter and sparking like emeralds. 

An inferno surrounded the enemy ships, Emma in the midst of them, luminous, incandescent, yet the vessels were not consumed. Elsa rose beside her upon a glacier rising slowly from the sea, hailstones raining down like diamonds. Each crystalized weapon disintegrated, however, on impact, the intent not to harm, but to warn. The ocean bit, chilled, blazed at the hands of the two princesses, pushing back the fleets until finally, each ship flew its own white flag of surrender. 

Anna realized she was trembling against the railing, scarcely feeling Kristoff’s arms around her. She was numb, stiff, chilled to the bone. Was her sister now the monster everyone claimed? 

“Look!” Henry cried. “They’re leaving! All of them!”

“Ann,” Kristoff whispered to her gently, “Anna, it’s over.”

She shook her head, pressing her face to his shoulder. He gently pulled her away, forcing her chin up to meet his eyes. He grinned broadly. 

“They saved us without harming a single ship. A battle without a single casualty, Anna, it’s a miracle!”

She blinked and looked around in awe at the suddenly calm seas. Kristoff helped her to her feet and pulled her close. There, across the water, Elsa calmly walked towards them, snowflake shaped crystals of ice bearing her weight. Emma glided next to her, streams of fire pushing her against the waves. They approached the Jolly Roger with elegant ease, then clambered up the ladder to board. When the princesses’s feet hit the boards, Emma ran immediately to embrace her son, and Elsa stood before her sister, confident and with a peaceful smile upon her face. Anna blinked before words spilled from her lips in a rush.

“How did you do that? And you’re not freezing -  I mean, of course you froze things, but  _ you _ aren’t freezing, and . . . oh gods, how did you do that?”

Elsa laughed as she threw her arms around her sister. “We’ll explain it all soon, I promise.”

“Where are Killian and Liam?” Henry asked worriedly.

Emma bit her lip sheepishly. “Yeah, about that . . . “

Elsa laughed. “Liam will probably want to strangle me for literally putting him on ice like that.”

Emma gave a shrug and tilted her chin. “I think Killian thought I was sexy.”

*********************************************

Killian growled, yanking the tie from around his neck and tossing it to the ground. Liam chuckled and bent to retrieve it. 

“Those things are designed for people with two hands,” Killian muttered. “I don’t see why I have to wear it anyway, Emma likes my chest hair to breath.”

“This is a royal wedding, little brother,” Liam countered, “I don’t know that chest hair needs to be on display.”

“It’s younger brother,” Killian corrected automatically, but he didn’t protest when LIam took over fixing his tie. It was a bit odd to be in their naval uniforms once again, albeit this time in the colors of Misthaven and Arendelle, respectively. Killian was proud of his new career, yet he would miss his brother. He arched a brow at Liam teasingly. “Do I call you  _ Admiral  _ Liam or  _ King  _ Liam?”

His brother rolled his eyes. “Technically, I’m Prince Consort Liam Jones. Queens under Arendelle law do not share sovereignty.  _ You _ , on the other hand, little brother, will be king along with Emma when she takes the throne.” 

Killian snorted. “I don’t think either of our lady loves need our help to lead their people.”

“No,” Liam agreed, voice laced with pride, “they surely do not.”

“Are you nervous?” Killian asked, feeling like a lad again.

“There, your tie is perfect,” Liam said, patting his brother on the shoulder, “thank the gods you’ll have a wife to do it for you after today.”

Killian was still getting used to doing things one handed, and normally it would rankle that he couldn’t handle a bloody tie. Yet having Emma at his side to help him through it all? Somehow that didn’t bother him quite so much. 

“You dodged my question,” Killian pointed out.

“Am I nervous about standing up in front of two kingdoms to declare my vows? Yes. Am I nervous about declaring my vows to the woman I love? Emphatically no.”

Killian smiled in complete agreement with his brother. Watching the women they loved work so hard with the Quapah to balance their powers by calling on all the elements - earth, wind, water, and fire - and then fight for peace between all the realms had only made them fall deeper in love. 

“They’re ready for you,” a voice called from the doorway. 

The brothers shared a smile, scarcely able to believe how far they had come from their days of servitude. They followed the Arendelle castle steward into the great hall and took their places on either side of the priest. Killian’s heart thundered in his chest, his eyes intent on the large double doors at the end of the hall. Soon, a trumpet sounded, and the doors opened. His breath caught as he saw Emma in a long, filmy white gown, her golden curls tumbling down her back, and flowers in her hair. Elsa was there too, he knew, but he only had eyes for his own bride. 

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the crown princess of Misthaven and the queen of Arendelle pledged themselves to their childhood sweethearts in a double ceremony. When LIam and Elsa were declared husband and wife, he lifted her off her feet when he kissed her, the queen throwing her arm around his neck in a very undignified manner. 

His little brother, of course, had to outdo him. When the priest announced Killian and Emma husband and wife, he dipped his bride as they passionately kissed. The crowd laughed, hooted, and cheered with joy. 

Later, the royals greeted their subjects who crowded outside of the Arendelle palace. They stepped out on the balcony, greeted by cheers and shouts. Instead of fireworks, Princess Emma sent sparks of fire racing across the sky in a rainbow of colors. Queen Elsa then sent giant multicolored snowflakes floating down upon the crowds. The people of Arendelle and those who had traveled from Misthaven celebrated into the wee hours of the morning. 

The Queen of Ice, however, slipped away with her husband far earlier. They had their own beauty to create. The Princess of Fire also slipped away with her husband to create fireworks of their own. The Brothers Jones had, in fact, met their match, and they were entirely okay with that. 

 

_ I've searched the world to find my heart is Yours _

_ Oh, my heart is Yours _

  
  
  



End file.
